Shock-absorbing apparatus



June 5, 1928. Y

J. w. BAIRD SHOCK vlussofusrmc; tAIEPARATUS Filed Jne '7, 1926 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIVIIIIIIA f O l f ,z 0 if 6./ t

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P atented June v5, 1928.

UNITED sTATEs :PATENT OFFICE.;

JOHN W. BAIBD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

snociz-Ansonme APPARATUS;

Application led June 7, 1926. Serial No. 114,051.

,15 ferred embodiment in the attached drawings,

described in the following specifications and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the illustrations Fig. 1,

sition embodying my invention applied to a structure of an automobile. Fig. 2, is an enlarged longitudinal section of a part of the spring, and Fig. 3, is an enlarged cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

The spring shown in normal position ,comprises a series of leaves of different lengths, indicated by A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H, which are normally arcuate and provided with clamps to prevent sidewise or cross shifting. Any suitable type of clamp ,10 may be emplo ed. I have shown a well known form. ikewise suitable U-bolts 12 are provided for retainment of the spring -upon the. axle 13. The longest leaf A is provided with loop ends A.2 for connection at one end to the frame 14 and at the other to the shackle 15.

In a preferred arrangement, such as shown in the illustrations, the s ring is composed of a series ofi pairs o cooperative leaf springs,- as for instance, the pair B and C, the pair D and E, and the pair F and G.

The construction and operation of the cooperative pairs of springs above set forth is similar, the airs diiferin only in length, the len h ang-number o pairs is determined y the use for which the spring 1s designed, l

Referring now particularly to the several pairs B and C, D and E, and F and G, each pair is respectively composed of a plain arcuate leaf B D and F and an adjacent arcuate leaf d, E and G having its end 5 portions 16 bent substantially at a` right angle to the en d portions of the leaf, the

is a side elevation .of a spring in normal po .ferred form, shape an ends of each plain leaf B, D and F being confined between the bent or hooked ends 16 of the adjacent cooperative leaves C, NE and G.

From the above description and` illustrations, itwill readily be apparent, that when the spring unit, as shown in Figure 1, is bent under pressure exerted in the direction of the arrow under the axle 13, the cord K ports will lengthen by reason of the pivotal support of' theshackle 15, and the leaves of the spring unit will tend Ito Hatten, and all leaves will be subjected to bending movement, but in the recoil or rebound of the opposite movement of the spring, the length of the cord K will tend to shorten tesa length less than the normal length, as shown in Figure 1, which tendency will be resisted by the binding action of the ends of the plain leaves B, D and F confined within the bent or hooked ends 16 of their respective co-operating leaves C, E and G. That is, the plain leaves B, D and F will be compressed and the hooked leaves C, E and G or the linear distance between the unit supwill be tensioned, thus absorbing the rebound.

It is obvious, that various changes or modifications may be Imade in form, shape or arrangement of the parts and members shown without departing from the spirit of my invention, hence I do not wish to .be understood as limiting myself to the prearrangement shown, and it is my intention to claim the invention as broadly as the state of the art permits.

'While -I have shown and described myI invention as applied to la vehicle chassis and axle therefor, 1t is readily apparent that my invention is susceptible to any and all uses as a resilient connection for a pair or plurality of relatively movable bodies for yieldn ingly resisting such relative movement.

claim 1. In a` spring,A a pair of normally arcuate, adjacently mounted leaf springs of uni f orm curvature through all sections thereof, one of said leaf springs having its ends bent' angularly the ends of the other of said leaf I 2. In a spring, the combination of Series of normally arcuate leaf spring members,

comprising a plurality of pairs of cooperative adjacently mounted leaf springs, one of said springs of each of said airs having its ends bent to abut With t e ends of the adjacent cooperative spring of each pair y to thus cause a compresslon in said cooperative spring when deflected in one direction and when deflected in the opposite direction to cause a deection in both of said cooperative springs.

3,. Ina device of the kind described, a

plurality of pairs of normally arcuate, ad.

jacently mounted leaf springs, one of said 'leaf springs of each of said pairs having its ends bent and adapted to abut With the ends of the adjacent leaf spring of each pair Whereb all of said pairs of leaf springs Will be' subjected to bending action when vsaid device is deflected in one direction and` `JOHN W. BAIRD. 

